Gun perforator construction



- Dec. H56, i941. A. J. zscHoKKE 2,266,35

GUN PERFORATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 1, 1940 INVENToR 4er/w@JZSOHO/f/ff ATT RNEY Patented Dec. i6, 1941 UNITED STATES IPATENT OFFICEGUN PERFORATOR CONSTRUCTION Arthur J. Zschokke, Huntington Park, Calif.,

assgnor to Lane-Wells-Company, Los Angeles,v Calif., a corporation ofDelaware Application November 1, 1940, Serial No. 363,831

9 Claims. (Cl. 164-05) My invention relates to gun perforator conas mayappear hereinafter, reference is directed struction, that is, to deviceswhich are adapted to the accompanying drawing, in which:

to be lowered within a well casing for firing pro- Figure 1 is afragmentary elevational View of jectiles through the casing and -therebyform a gun perforator construction embodying my inpassages for the flowof oil from the surround- 5 vention; ing formation into the well. Amongthe objects Figure2 is a transverse sectional View thereof of myinvention are: through 2-2 of Figure 1, showing by dotted line First, toprovide a gun perforator construction the relative positions of othergun units below of the general type disclosed in Patents Nos. thatthrough which this section is taken; and 2,216,145 and 2,216,151 whereina large number Figure 3 is a fragmentary 'sectional View of electricallyfired gun units are incorporated through 3-3 of Figure 1, showingparticularly in compact relation lin a common cylindrical gun theelectrical connection between the distributor body; wire and the gununit lead.

Second, to provide a gun body construction My gun perforatorconstruction comprises a wherein the gun units are arranged helically togun body I which is cylindrical and of uniform aiord a substantiallyuniform radial distribudiameter. A plurality of gun bores 2 are drilledtion so that the resulting perforations in the well laterally into thegun body. These extend alcasing are distributed circumferentially aswell most the diameter of the gun body and' are as longitudinally;adapted to be closed at their outer ends by water- Third, to provide agun perforator which inexcluding Caps 3- corporates a novel wiringsystem whereby the The gun bores are preferably arranged in two gununits may be red in sequence, the wiring sets which are disposedalternately along the system including an electrical connection begunbody. The gun bores of one set are disposed tween the distributor wiresof the system and almost dametrically ODDOSB the adjacent bOleS theindividual leads to the several gun units; of the other set and bothsets of gun bores spiral such connections, although exposed to well uidin the same direction around the gun b0dy pressures, are particularlysecure against the Thus, with reference to Figure 2, the uppermost surgeof liquid around the gun, either during gun bore, designated A, of thefirst set is directed movement of the gun through the well bore or tothe left and the uppermost gun bore, desigupon discharge of the gununit; nated B, of the second set is clockwise displaced Fourth, toprovide a gun perforator construcapproximately 120 degrees, while thesecond gun tion wherein the distributor wire system for the bore,designated C, of the firstlset is clockwise gun unit, although exposedto all manner of well displacedabout 15 degrees from bore A. Similaruidsand subjected to the extreme temperature ly, the second gun bore of thesecond series is conditions normally present within well bores, offsetonly a few degrees from the gun bore B,

has a particularly long service life; etc. Thus, by arranging each setof gun bores Fifth, to provide a gun perforator construction in a -helixhaving approximately one-half turn, wherein the gun muzzles are disposedcircumfera substantially uniform radial distribution of the entially amaximum distance from the gun unit gun bores is provided, so that allsides of the leads so as to minimize the surge pressures casing in whichthe gun perforator \may be around the exposed parts of the wiring;mounted can be perforated.

Sixth, to provide a gun construction in which Each gun bore isintersected near its inner end the gun units are incorporated integrallyin the by a cross bore 4 which is disposed at right angun body, thevarious cavities, channels, gun gles tol the gun bore and whichdefmes,'withthe bores and powder chambers being formed in the 15 axis ofthe gun bore, a plane at right angles to gun body and being so disposedwith respect to the axis of the gun body. The cross borev reeach otherthat during the course of heat treatceives a main powder cartridge 5which may ing the tendency for the gun body to warp is extend across thegun bore, and the inner end minimized; and of the gun bore beyond thecross bore may re- Seventh, to provide a gun perforator construcceive asupplemental cartridge 6. The car. tion which is readily andeconomically manutridges 5 and E contain a suitable high explofacturedand contains a minimum number of sive. A bullet 'l is positioned in thegun bore parts as compared with the number of gun units outwardly of butadjacent the cross bore. incorporated therein. The cross bores orcartridge bores of the two sets With the foregoing and other objects inview, .of gun units are located at opposite sides of the axis of the gunbody and their points of intersection with the periphery of the gun bodydene a common helical path approximately 120 displaced from the twohelical paths defined by the muzzle ends of the two sets of gun bores.

The outer end of the cross bore d is threaded to receive a plug 8. Theplug 8 is adapted to receive a lead wire (to be described hereinafter)which extends to the inner end of the plug and coacts with anelectrically responsive fuse (not shown) for igniting the cartridge. Atthe outer end of each cross bore, the gun body is provided with a recess9 large enough to receive the head of the plug 8.

The gun body is provided with a longitudinal distributor wire channel Iwhich extends longitudinally in a helical path so as to remain in thearea between the outer or muzzle ends of the several gun bores and theinner ends of their respective cross bores, such position beingapproximately diametrically opposite from the helical path of the seriesof plug recesses 9. The distributor wire channel I0 is provided with acover strip I I which fits into longitudinal grooves provided near theouter side of the passage, the cover being inserted endwise along thepassage.

The base of the distributor wire channel is intersected by a pluralityof conductor passages I2, one for each gun unit. These passages extendapproximately diametrically in axially offset planes with respect; tothe gun bores. At the end of each conductor passage, remote from thedistributor wire channel, there is provided a counterbore I4 andoutwardly from the counterbore a recess I5. Each counterbore I4 receivesa connector I6 which comprises a sleeve I'I of insulating materialhaving a bore therethrough which. is adapted to be closed at each end bya cork or stopper I8, so that a chamber is formed within the sleeve I'I.A conductive liquid I9 such as mercury fills the sleeve between thecorks I8.

The distributor Wire channel I0 is adapted to receive a plurality ofdistributor wires 20, preferably one for each gun unit. For convenience,only one of said distributor wires is illustrated. Each distributor wireextends through its conductor passage I2 and is provided with a bareextremity which extends into the conductive liquid I9 through the innercork of the connector. The outer cork of the connector receives asimilar Wire 2I which constitutes a gun unit lead'. Each gun unit leadextends from its recess I through a slot 22 which connects recess I5with the plug recess 9 and then extends downwardly through thecorresponding plug 8 to the main cartridge.

The upper end of the distributor wire channel IIJ connects with a socket23 formed in the upper end of the gun body. The socket receives acontroller case (not shown) adapted to contain a multiple contact switchand suitable multiple contact terminals to which the distributor wiresare connected. The socket and terminal construction is more fullydisclosed in a copending application led November 1, 1940, vSerial No.363,917.

VQy reason of the fact that the distributor channel is arranged alongthe opposite side of the gun from the points of connection with theseveral gun umts which it serves, it is possible to position-theconnectors I6 so that the distributor wires 20 may be substantiallypermanent, the distributor-wires being entirely within the body of thegun or within the channel and therefore fully protected from the surgeof fluids around the gun body as it is moved through the well or upondischarge of the gun unit. vThe only wires exposed to the surge of wellliquid are the lead wires from the connectors I5 to their respective gununit plugs; even these Wires are set relatively deep in slots 22.Furthermore, the lead wires are replaced with each firing of the guninasmuch as they form a part of the electrical fuse provided at theinner 'end of the plug. In other words, the distributor wires form apermanent part of the gun, while the lead wires are replaced.

Also, the discharge or muzzle ends of the gun bores are positioned amaximum distance from 4lead wire of the adjacent gun unit. Tests haveshown that the detrimental effect of liquid surge around the socketcontaining the lead wire is very materially reduced when the gun bore isdisplaced circumferentially therefrom. Apparently, the force of thesurging liquid diminishes as much as the square of the distance fromthemuzzle.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scopeof the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all noveltyinherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. A gun perforator construction comprising: a gun body having formedtherein a plurality of laterally directed gun bores, each intersected bya laterally disposed cartridge bore; a terminal socket adjacent theouter end of each of said cartridge bores; a longitudinally extendingdistributor wire channel disposed approximately diametrically oppositethe outer ends of said cartridge bores and wire passages connecting saidchannel with said terminal sockets.

2. A gun perforator construction comprising: an elongated cylindricalbody member having gun bores and intersecting cartridge bores disposedtransversely to the axis of the gun body, a longitudinally extendingdistributor wire channel approximately diametrically opposite the outerends of said cartridge bores and wire passages traversing the bodymember from said channel to points adjacent the outer ends of saidcartridge bores.

3. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 1, wherein thedifferent gun bores and different 4cartridge bores are relativelydisposed circumferenti'ally to den'e helical courses along the gun body,and said distributor Wire channel likewise extends helically.

4. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 2, wherein thedifferent gun bores and different cartridge bores are relativelydisposed circumferentially to define a helical course along the gunbody, and said distributor wire channel likewise extends h'elically.

5. .A gun perforator construction comprising: a cylindrical gun bodydefining al plurality of laterally directed cartridge bores dividedalternately into two sets, the cartridge bores of one set lying on theopposite side of the axis of said gun body from the adjacent bores ofthe other set; said gun body defining further two sets of laterallydirected gun bores, one gun bore for each cartridge bore, each gun boreextending approximately diametrically opposite the adiacent gun bores ofthe other set. v

6. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 5, wherein theouter ends of both sets of cartridge bores denne a single helical pathalong the body member, and the muzzle ends of the two sets of gun boresdeilne double helical paths along the body member.

7. A gun perforator construction comprising: a cylindrical gun bodydening a plurality of cartridge bores divided alternately into two sets,one set of cartridge bores extending on the opposite side of the ams ofsaid gun body from the adjacent bores of the other set; said gun bodydeiining further a laterally directed gun bore for each cartridge, eachgun bore extending approximately diametrically oDPOSite the adjacent gunbores of the other set; and said gun body member deiining further alongitudinal distributor wire channel disposed approximatelydiametrically opposite the outer ends of said cartridge bores: andtraversing .passages extending from said channel to the outer ends ofsaid cartridge bores.

8. A gun perforator construction, as set forth in claim 7, wh'erein theouter ends of both sets of cartridge bores dene a single helical pathalong the body member, said channel ueing disposed helically andthe mumeends of the gun bores defining double helical paths along said gun bodyon opposite sides of said channel'.

9. A gun perforator construction comprising: a cylindrical gun bodydefining a plurality oi laterally directed cartridge bores dividedalternately' in two sets, the cartridge bores of one set lying on theopposite side of the axis of said gun body from the adjacent bores ofthe other set: said gun body deiining further two sets oi laterallyJdirected gun bores, one gun bore traversing each cartridge bore.

